Pigs in the North test positive for swine flu

A herd of pigs in the North has tested positive for swine flu.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has said tests on a batch of piglets submitted by a private veterinary practice on September 11 have tested positive for the virus.

This case is the first European instance of the H1N1 pandemic flu virus to be found in pigs, although such cases have been reported elsewhere.

The Food Standards Agency said swine flu poses no food safety risk as it is not transmissible through pork.